DISTINCT IN MY REACTIONS

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1 GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Refer to the picture (PSG, p. 142) as you lead the group to respond to Question #1: How do you typically handle interruptions? GUIDE: Direct attention to The Bible Meets Life (PSG, p. 143). Acknowledge that when we ve lived a long time we certainly know life is filled with interruptions. SAY: It s how we handle those interruptions that make us distinct as followers of Jesus. GUIDE: Introduce The Point (PSG, p. 143): Practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you. Explain that in our continuing study from Jesus Sermon on the Mount, we begin this session with Jesus emphasis on displaying integrity with our words. SESSION 12 DISTINCT IN MY REACTIONS The Point Practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you. The Bible Meets Life Isaac Newton gave us this scientific principle: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That law works for science, but it is only partially true with people. Everything said or done to us will cause us to react, but how we react is totally in our hands. Jesus calls us to a standard that is consistent, honest, and gracefilled regardless of what is said or done. The Passage Matthew 5:33-42 The Setting Jesus did not quote or directly reference one of the Ten Commandments in the passage for this session, but He did address the essence of the Ninth Commandment, Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. While the Commandment specifically focuses on one s legal or moral witness in regard to another, its heart is the need for God s people to display integrity with their words. Jesus raised the need for integrity in one s words (vv ) and in one s approach to others (vv ). 142 Session 12

2 Matthew 5: Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. 34 But I tell you, don t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God s throne; 35 or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your word yes be yes, and your no be no. Anything more than this is from the evil one. KEY WORDS: His footstool (v. 35) Literally, a footstool (Jas. 2:3). Here, figuratively God has no need of a place to rest His feet. Thus, it represents the earth s complete submission to God. Swear by your head (v. 36) This phrase means to guarantee the truthfulness of a statement by swearing or taking an oath by invoking God or some substitute for God, here, your head. Display integrity with your words. Verse 33. In verse 33, Jesus began with the traditional teaching based primarily in two Old Testament texts: Leviticus 19:12, which forbade swearing falsely by God s name, and Numbers 30:2, which warned against breaking a vow or oath made to God. The Old Testament did not forbid swearing an oath or making a vow to God. The problem was swearing falsely or not following through on the promise to the Lord, which represented a misuse of God s name. Verses Jesus interpretation of those Old Testament texts reveals concern about two related issues: (1) honoring God s holy name and (2) integrity of speech. To begin, in verses 34-36, Jesus prohibited swearing of any kind. Jesus treated swearing or oath taking as an attempt at manipulation in two directions. To swear an oath to God could be done in an attempt to manipulate God to do STUDY THE BIBLE Matthew 5: minutes READ: Invite a volunteer to read Matthew 5:33. GUIDE: Write on a board or large sheet of paper: I promise. Invite volunteers to identify other phrases people offer when they really want others to believe what they are saying. (Examples: Scouts honor, Honest, I swear, Cross my heart and hope to die, etc.) DISCUSS: Question #2 (PSG, p. 145): What motivates us to say, I promise? (Alternate: Why do people often not follow through with what they say they will do?) GUIDE: Note that we often want to hear people give extra guarantees when they say something because we ve all been disappointed at one time or another. SUGGESTED USE WEEK OF FEBRUARY

3 THE POINT Practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you. Acknowledge that just as others have disappointed us, so each of us have likely had our own share of failed commitments. READ: Invite a volunteer to read verses as you note a time many members will recall when agreements were made with a simple handshake no extra guarantees or contracts required. SUMMARIZE: The Old Testament law repeatedly commanded the people to keep their word and be absolutely truthful (Lev. 19:12; Num 30:2; Deut. 23:21-23). During Jesus time on earth, people were making distinctions in their promises and oaths: some, which invoked God s name, were super-serious; others, when someone simply gave his own word, were not-so-serious. Jesus point was that whether someone swears in God s name or not, God is involved because He is always present. something or act in a certain way. A familiar example would be Jephthah, who made a tragic vow that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, then Jephthah would offer up as a burnt offering the first thing to come out of his house upon his return (Judg. 11:30-31). God did give Jephthah and the Israelites the victory. Heartbreakingly, when Jephthah returned home his virgin daughter was the first to come out of the house to greet him. Jephthah kept his vow and offered her as a burnt offering. Jephthah already had God s call and God s Spirit. The vow was a completely unnecessary act to guarantee victory. But once such a vow had been made, it must be kept. While the Old Testament did not prohibit such vows (Deut. 23:21-22), Jesus did. Also, swearing by God s name or oath-taking could be seen as an attempt to manipulate others to believe or trust our words. In Jewish circles, however, belief in the sanctity of the divine name meant that it should not be uttered at all. To use God s name in vows or in swearing of oaths could be interpreted as taking God s name in vain. Even if the speaker intended to keep the vow or believed his words to be truthful, the limits of fallen humanity result in situations where a vow could not be fulfilled or words could be spoken without full knowledge of the truth. If God s name were attached to the vow or oath, then God s name would be profaned. In order to protect the sanctity of God s name, a first-century Jew might employ a substitute for God or His name as a basis for an oath. Jesus offered examples of such secondary oaths such as swearing either by heaven, earth, or Jerusalem. Each of these indicates spheres that can be identified with God by virtue of the fact that He created them and rules over them. The reference to swearing by your head seems a bit out of place. However, even a person s head is created and sustained by God and thereby is an object that can be identified with God. The statement that because you cannot make a single hair white or black served as proof that even the head and the hair that grows out of it are created and controlled by God. Once again, Jesus raised the bar on the Old Testament teaching. While the Law focused on the act of murder, Jesus raised it to the level of anger and insult. While the Law focused on the physical act of adultery, Jesus raised it to the level of thoughts. While the Law focused on not swearing falsely, Jesus raised it to not swearing at all. The greater righteousness of the kingdom demands a more radical obedience. 144 Session 12

4 Verse 37. Jesus revealed the crux of the issue in verse 37: But let your word yes be yes, and your no be no. Anything more than this is from the evil one. With the use of the imperative let and the repetition yes, yes or no, no, Jesus emphatically commanded His followers to be truthful. When we say yes, we should really mean, yes. The fact that swearing and oaths even exist provides evidence that lies occur. If lies did not exist, there would be no need for oaths. Jesus forbidding of oaths reveals His intention to destroy lying altogether. The real issue is integrity of life and speech. If a person lacks character and integrity, then others will be skeptical of the truthfulness of that person s speech. Such a person might be tempted to guarantee the truthfulness of their words by swearing by God s name or some substitute for God. Most believers would cringe at the thought of swearing by God or by God s name, but they might use a substitute, like I swear on my mother s grave, or I swear on my life. The reality is, however, that the moment a person employs a vow to guarantee the truthfulness of a statement, the ideal of transparency and integrity is diminished if not completely eliminated. These are strong words that God s people need to take seriously. We live in a culture of lies. Too much of today s corporate climate reeks of deceit. A car company might ignore safety concerns in order to save money. Another company might manufacture cutting-edge, beautiful products, but the production side is a dark story of child slaves who are forced to work in dangerous conditions for 10 hours a day, seven days a week. A behemoth company might employ predatory store placement and pricing in order to drive smaller, mom and pop stores out of business. Another company might find loopholes in the tax code in order to avoid paying millions in taxes. The current political climate reveals the willingness of too many politicians at every level to mislead or abuse the truth for their own purposes. We have even seen it at the level of the presidency. In the 70s it was Richard Nixon and Watergate. In the 90s it was Bill Clinton and the Monica Lewinsky affair, and many more recent examples could be cited. And then there are the subtle ways that all of us are tempted to exaggerate, deceive, and even outright lie in order to protect ourselves, our egos, and to hide our dirty deeds. Living with Jesus as the central reality of our existence means striving to live in complete truthfulness so that our yes means yes, and our no means no. GUIDE: Call attention to the two numbered statements on PSG page 145 as things we should remember if we want to display integrity with our words: 1. Be careful what you commit to do. If indeed our words are a checkpoint of our integrity before God, we should be proactively careful about what we are willing to commit ourselves to fulfilling. 2. Keep your word when you give it. God honors the person who keeps his word whatever the cost (Ps. 15:4). Even when it hurts to do so, the one who keeps his promises pleases God. SAY: Our integrity should be so evident that no extra guarantees are required when we say yes or no. TRANSITION: Even though others may disappoint us, we must not respond in kind. 145

5 THE POINT Practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you. STUDY THE BIBLE Matthew 5: minutes READ: Invite a volunteer to read Matthew 5: Matthew 5: You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I tell you, don t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. SUMMARIZE: The law Jesus referenced in verse 38 (see Ex. 21:24; also Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21) did not require retaliation; it limited it. Jesus, however, moved radically in the direction of mercy. GUIDE: Use the Bible commentary 1 to explain don t resist an evildoer. (v 39). Note the writer s preferred translation: don t resist by evil means as seeming to reflect the example of Jesus. Use the Bible commentary 2 (p. 147) to explain the historical context of being struck on the right cheek. Note that the non-violent response Jesus commanded refuses to be a victim to humiliation and issues a level of resistance, but without resorting to the evil way of the oppressor. 146 Session 12 Just let it go when you are humiliated or insulted. Verses Jesus then moved to another piece of traditional Old Testament instruction from Exodus 21:24 (see also Lev. 24:20 and Deut. 19:21): You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This law provided a measure of balance in retaliation for an injury, insult, or slight. It did not require retaliation; it limited it. It did not eradicate retaliation; it did moderate it. In a culture accustomed to disproportionate penalties, this Mosaic law offered balance between justice and penalty. Jesus, however, moved radically in the direction of mercy. Jesus instructed, don t resist an evildoer. On the surface it would appear Jesus intended His followers to take a passive posture towards those who might seek to injure or humiliate them. At this point we are left to wonder whether we should defend ourselves if we are attacked in a parking lot or even in our own home. Could Jesus be forbidding any resistance to an evil person, even if our lives or the lives of our family might be in danger? A closer examination of Jesus words indicates other more likely interpretations. 1 First of all, there is the matter of translation. The word translated evildoer, ponero, could also simply mean evil, and is translated that way the vast majority of the times it appears in the New Testament. If taken this way it would forbid resisting injustice or systemic evil in society but it would allow a person to defend oneself against personal attack. The problem with either of these translations is whether the Jesus we encounter in the Gospels would ever take such a passive attitude toward evil or an evildoer. Is it consistent with the life and teachings of Jesus to think He would ever command His followers not to oppose evil or the evil one? One other possibility would be to translate it don t

6 resist by evil means. This possibility reminds us that there are at least three possible responses to evil or an evil person. One response is flight. That is, we can respond passively with no resistance. Another response is to fight. That is, we can respond in the same manner that we are attacked. This response reflects the Mosaic teaching of an eye for an eye. If, however, we translate the phrase don t resist by evil means, we have a third option. We can resist evil, but not by evil means. It allows resistance, but it does not allow Jesus followers to retaliate in the same manner we are attacked. This third way seems to reflect the example of Jesus. Jesus faced all manner of evil during His ministry, particularly during the final week of His earthly ministry, but His response was not simply a failure to resist. When He was beaten, falsely accused, and crucified, Jesus response was a deliberate and intentional acceptance in order to utterly and eternally defeat evil and the evildoer. His was the ultimate act of non-violent resistance. Paul seems to reflect the same teaching when he stated: Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good (Rom. 12:21). 2 The example Jesus gave involves someone striking you on the right cheek. It is of the utmost importance that Jesus specified the right cheek. In the ancient Mediterranean culture, the left hand was never used for public actions; it was used for matters of personal hygiene. A slap would thus be delivered only with the right hand. In order to slap the right cheek with the right hand, the evildoer would be required to slap with the back of the hand, a serious insult in the ancient world. The slap was not about violence as much as it was about humiliation and shame. The backhand slap was the way to smack an inferior, like a master slapping a slave. Jesus instruction to turn the other to him also would not be the flight or passive action of not resisting evil at all. On the contrary, to turn the left cheek to the evildoer would be a way to demonstrate that the insult was rejected. If he wanted to hit the person again, he would have to hit with the open hand, the way one would slap an equal. This non-violent response refuses to be a victim to humiliation and issues a level of resistance, but without resorting to the evil way of the oppressor. DISCUSS: Question #3 (PSG, p. 147): What are some practical ways to turn the other cheek in today s culture? GUIDE: Emphasize that resistance to evil calls for selfdenial. Note three ways we deny self when we refuse to retaliate (PSG, p. 147): 1. We deny our rights. 2. We deny our entitlement. 3. We deny our pride. DISCUSS: Question #4 (PSG, p. 148): Which aspect of self-denial is most difficult for you? (Alternate: When have you admired someone who chose to turn the other cheek?) TRANSITION: Note that self-denial also plays a big role when we choose to go the extra mile. 147

7 THE POINT Practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you. STUDY THE BIBLE Matthew 5: minutes READ: Invite a volunteer to read Matthew 5: Matthew 5: As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and don t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. SUMMARIZE: Faithful followers of Christ go the extra mile even for those who want to take advantage of them. Obedient disciples don t think about obedience in terms of the minimum they must do. That kind of attitude reveals a heart out of touch with the grace God has lavishly poured out on repentant sinners. Committed believers don t focus on the minimum but on how they can be a blessing to others. GUIDE: Stress that to go the extra mile takes faith. Direct attention to the three numbered statements that we need to believe when we go the extra mile (PSG, pp ): Go the extra mile for others, even those who want to take advantage of you. Verse 40. The next illustration Jesus used involves someone taking a Christian to court in order to take the person s shirt. The word Jesus used is often translated tunic, and was the most basic garment for a person in the ancient world. This scenario Jesus created would involve a person of extreme poverty who has no other possessions left to take beyond the most basic garments and a rotten human being who would sue in order to take the shirt right off the person s back. Jesus instruction to let him have your coat means to give the scoundrel your heavier outer garment as well. On the surface Jesus teaching sounds like the passive response of not resisting the evil louse at all. Think, however, of the scene Jesus painted. If applied literally, now the person would be standing in the court of law completely naked, having freely given both under and outer garment. In a world built on honor and shame as the highest cultural value, the person stands in disgrace. Though this might be an example of Jesus use of hyperbole, it stresses the radical kingdom perspective that Jesus followers are not to look for limitations to their moral, ethical, and legal obligations but to fulfill them in their highest spirit and intent. Verse 41. For a third illustration of the principle, Jesus employed the image of a Roman soldier forcing a dominated person to carry his military pack. It might be difficult for modern Americans to understand how detestable this practice was to Jews who were living under Roman oppression. Aside from the fact that the pack weighed between pounds, the shame of being forced to carry 148 Session 12

8 the instruments of the enemy s tyranny would be disgusting. Despite the indignity of carrying the pack one mile, rather than urging refusal or even revolt, Jesus commanded His followers to carry it two miles. It should be noted that the Roman mile was slightly shorter, perhaps 20% less, than a modern mile. To carry a load of this weight for a friend would be noteworthy. To carry it for an enemy would be shocking, perhaps most of all to the soldier. While the soldier could force a person to carry the pack one mile by law, the decision to carry it the extra mile would be the disciple s own. By choosing submission, the disciple could transform a practice designed to demean into a demonstration of what it means to love your enemy. Verse 42. As a fourth illustration, Jesus employed a situation that would have been commonplace in the first century: a beggar asking for a gift or a neighbor asking for a loan. In keeping with Jesus own choice to live a simple earthly existence, and His call for His followers to do the same by laying up treasures in heaven, Jesus instructed believers to give to those in need. Luke 6:30 offers an even stronger parallel: Give to everyone who asks you, and from one who takes your things, don t ask for them back. While the prevalence of people in need provides us with frequent opportunities to obey Jesus teaching, it is easy to present arguments against such giving. We might insist on the impracticality of it, raise concerns about the motives behind the one asking, or even question whether such generosity might create a climate that encourages laziness while discouraging individual responsibility. Obviously no one has the means to give literally to everyone in need. In a short period of time, that person would be among those asking for aid. However, the evidence indicates that our application of this text is driven by conventional wisdom and what makes sense to a secular, materialistic culture. In fact, over the last 40 years, as American Christians have grown progressively more affluent, giving to the ministries of the local church and other charitable organizations has grown smaller and smaller by percentage. Such behavior contradicts what Jesus, and the rest of Scripture teaches about God, the poor, and giving. We must guard against taming the radical nature of Jesus teaching. Practically, this might mean buying gift cards to fast food restaurants or carrying protein bars and bottled water to distribute to those in need. It could also mean giving to organizations that focus on poverty. Whatever we do, we must find ways to live out Jesus teaching authentically. (ENHANCEMENT: Use Pack Item 9: Extra Miles as you review the following to stress the need to trust God.) 1. Believe God will provide. We must believe in a God who will provide the coat, the money, or the time that we ve given up for the sake of someone else. 2. Believe God will rectify. We can freely go the extra mile without the expectation of payback. Trust in God who knows what we ve done. 3. Believe God will redeem. Though it might seem like a waste at first, we trust God in His wisdom and power to redeem what we ve done for His good purposes. DISCUSS: Question #5 (PSG, p. 150): How do we prepare ourselves now to respond well when others make demands of us? (Alternate: What keeps us from taking these commands more seriously?) DO: Invite volunteers to share their responses to the activity, Practice Grace (PSG, p. 150). 149

9 THE POINT Practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you. LIVE IT OUT 5 minutes GUIDE: Emphasize The Point: Practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you. Review Live It Out (PSG, p. 151; see text to the right). Encourage each group member to follow through with one of the applications this week. Wrap It Up GUIDE: Acknowledge that it s not easy to respond as Jesus taught, but that only calls us to rely more on His indwelling Spirit to live the life He desires for us. LIVE IT OUT Life is about reactions. Things will happen this week you have absolutely no control over, no matter how well you plan. The question is: what happens next? Will you practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you? Or will you hold tightly to your rights and privileges? Here are some ways to be distinct in your reactions this week: > > Keep your word. Have you made a commitment to do something that you have let slide without completing? If so, decide to follow through with what you said you would do. > > Forgive. Think of someone who has offended you recently. Write on a piece of paper the offense and the name of the person who offended you (if known). Then tear the paper into small pieces and throw them away. Ask God for the strength to forgive the offense and to reject every temptation to retaliate or be bitter. > > Go the extra mile. Think back over the past month. Have you done the bare minimum for someone when you could have done more? Follow up with that person, and do something extra for him or her this week. If that is not possible, commit to go the extra mile the next time such a opportunity presents itself. PRAY: Thank God that we can be the distinct people He calls us to be as we submit our wills to His and trust Him in all that we do. Amen. 150 Session 12

10 ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/KEN TOUCHTON View of Jerusalem from across the Hinnom Valley. Jesus included Jerusalem in the things people were not to swear by (Matt. 5:34-35). The following excerpt is from the article The Practice of Taking Oaths (Win. 1996), which the Lord your God in vain (Ex. 20:7, NASB). Swearing falsely, using the Lord s name in an oath, was a violation of this commandment: And you shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the Lord (Lev. 19:12). If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth (Num. 30:2). Read the article Tunics and Cloaks: First-Century Clothing in the Winter issue. Previous articles You Have Heard It Said, Jewish Laws Behind Jesus SHARING THE GOOD NEWS It is natural to react to the offenses of others. When we turn to Christ through repentance and faith, however, we can treat others with the same grace we have received from Him. Each week, make yourself available either before or after the session to speak privately with anyone in your group who wants to know more about becoming a Christian. See the article, Leading Someone to the Greatest Decision of All, on page 2 for guidance in leading a person to Christ. relates to this session and can be purchased at biblicalillustrator. Both Old and New Testament teaching placed an emphasis on the responsibility of trustworthiness in speech. The Ten Commandments demanded that You shall not take the name of Teachings (Fall 2007), Laws Behind Jesus Teaching (Win. 1996), and The Roman Mile (Sum. 1984) relate to this session and can be purchased at www. lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator. Look for Bundles: Bible Studies for Life. Subscribe to Biblical Illustrator at or call Remind group members that page 2 in the PSG offers guidance in how to become a Christian. Encourage believers to consider using this article as they have opportunities to lead others to Christ. > > Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid (MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesFor Life). >Grow > with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry). > > Additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesFor Life.com/blog. 151